HubPages: How to Hole Yourself in a Hotel Room to Jumpstart Your Writing
74Other than writing hilarious letters and emails, I took a 15-year break from writing. I wouldn’t call this the dreaded Writer’s Block. I had simply allowed my job to consume me and didn’t want to do anything else.
After I was medically retired and was forced to take an early retirement at 44, the guilt of not working and physically bringing home a pay check was too much for me. I am a workaholic if I happen to like what I’m doing. Don’t ever envy anyone who retires early. Unlike people who have at least planned their retirement, I was one of those people who didn’t find closure in being let go before the age of 65. My ego was mostly tied into my work, and I found it very hard to accept that I would never work in that field again.
In retirement, I found a few friends who earn extra money with their writing. They write mostly boring writing which is tied in with statistics. But they showed me that their writing also required deadlines. They were good at what they did because they were always working on a writing project.
So as I tried to get back into writing, I asked them how they handled Writer’s Block.
Surprisingly enough, they told me they never had it. Their way of getting the writing job done was to lock themselves in a room at home and not come out until they had the finished product.
What a horrible way to write. When I write, I don’t practice shutting myself in a room at home because my husband and my dogs will find me. I do write with music blasting away in the background or maybe television shows for noise. I don’t sit at a table. I find it easier to hit the sofa with my laptop balanced on my stomach as I type away.
With South Lake Tahoe only two hours from my home in Sacramento, it’s easy to drive over and spend at least three nights in one of the casino hotel rooms. Since I don’t gamble, I have the room all to myself. Since my friends’ suggestion about holing yourself in a room, I tried doing this in Tahoe.
The idea here is to write. You take your laptop, pay for the Wi-Fi, and sit yourself down to write. Or if you trying to map out a potential story, you start Bubbling or writing notes on your legal pad or whatever writing material you decided to bring.
I do admit, despite the lack of noise, I do like the quiet. Sometimes, a baby will cry out down the hall, but not too often. And when you tag the Do Not Disturb sign in the doorknob, no one will bother you.
If you get into your writing and are feeling frustrated about blank paper or a blank computer screen, don’t panic. Turn off your laptop and try the following choices as a way to get you writing. The idea is to get you to want to write. It doesn’t help to force yourself to write when you’ve hit a wall, so don’t do it.
Sleep
Just as you sleep off a hangover, you can sleep off the frustration of not having anything to write about. Sleep is a good thing. It can be a temporary escape for you. As you fall asleep, tell yourself you will write when you wake up.
Catch up on some reading and support the publishing industry at the same time.
Before settling into my hotel room, I stop off at the gift shop and buy magazines. On the average, I’ll buy at least $30 worth of magazines without feeling guilty. I will buy anything which interests me at the time, but I avoid anything which concerns celebrities. You can never catch up with celebrities because they are always doing something to stay on top. Most of the books sold in gift shops are fat paperbacks that are mostly fiction. These days, I’ve been reading memoirs and autobiographies. My stay is not long enough for me to get into a good book, so magazines have to do the job. Whatever I don’t read, I’ll read at home.
Order some room service.
I used to know someone who would stay in a hotel and order a room service breakfast of oatmeal and raisins. You’ve got to be kidding me. If I’m going to tip one of the hotel staff to bring a tray of food all the way up to my room, you’d better believe I’d make it worth his while. Yes, I’d order up a full meal with dessert. I would also order one of those swirling white carafes filled with coffee to end my meal. At my home, nobody cares to cook for me. They don’t care if I’ve eaten, so for once, I’m getting waited on as a luxury.
Let Calgon take you away.
You may be too young to remember this, but the Calgon commercial with the woman bathing to take all her worries away has always stuck in my head. If I know I’m going to a nice hotel room with a deep bathtub, I’m bringing some bubble bath and bath salts because at my home, there is no such thing as a bath using Calgon or any of the fancy stuff ladies of leisure keep in their bathrooms. There is no such thing as an escape in the form of a long, soaking bath when everyone always wants you for something.
Watch a movie you wouldn’t normally watch.
Hotels offer fairly new movies to view and preview a selection of new television shows. I am afraid to watch horror movies and will usually spend time behind a piece of furniture or buried under the covers during the scary parts. I sleep through movies meant for children and movies with non-stop action or things always getting blown up. I don’t like to see violence used on women, children and animals because there’s already enough of that on television. If a movie ended with a happy ending and has all the symptoms of a soppy romance novel, count me out. I don’t believe in a happy ending each time I view a movie.
Strike a yoga pose while naked.
This suggestion is enough to motivate me to write. If I did the basic plank naked, my middle-aged body would work against me and immediately go south. Now, this would be so depressing since the plank is supposed to help with your core. I don’t think so. Instead of waiting years to achieve a body that meshes with yoga moves, I will get back to my writing instead.
So here are six suggestions you may do in your hotel room as you make the decision to write. If one suggestion doesn’t make you want to write, try something else. These are six distractions, but here’s hoping you won’t have to try all of them before sitting down to write. A quiet hotel room is a luxury for anyone who is surrounded by noise and distractions at home. Take advantage of your good fortune and write away.
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I'd have to go to a cabin in the woods without Wi-Fi. Some of my distractions are online but this is a great idea. I know a friend that spent two weeks at Eureka Springs at a writing workshop and she got a lot done. She stayed in an old Victorian house that was really cool. She writes historical fiction so that was great for inspiration.
This is brilliant, Arlene-- and a great way to link to your other suggestions. I have realized I am a servant to my dog.
Flora, I've been coming to these Tahoe casino hotels for years. My family likes their slot machines, so they are always getting free rooms. So while they're out and about, I never see them. I take advantage of their free rooms. I don't gamble, so I always have enough money to take them to dinner before we drive home. Being away from suburbia is fine with me. It is very rare to see tagging in Tahoe. My husband and I had our first date here, so it does have a special meaning for us. I'm so used to noise, so this is a treat. We escape to Tahoe whenever we can.
Pamela, there are cabins on the way to Tahoe and cabins in town. I have stayed in a couple of cabins in the past, and I would love to own one of those. I could see myself writing away during the summer. I hate the cold, but I could be talked into a well-stocked cabin, fires, and plenty of blankets. A bed and breakfast would be another great place for the writing. I write longhand and also use my laptop. Writing longhand most of the time would be ideal. If anything happens to my Wi-Fi, I'm having tantrums.
Rochelle, I just figured out how to use this link option. I married my husband so he could take care of my truck and my computers, but since he knew nothing about HubPages, I was on my own. Thank you! I think three max is enough without scaring anyone away. So, you are a servant to your dog? Join the club! I just bought some pumpkin-oatmeal canned food for my tubby boys to go with their chicken kibble for fat dogs. I also bought some 9-calorie banana and oatmeal treats shaped like flowers from the 1960s hippie era. If I wander into my kitchen too sleepy to pay attention, I may find myself scarfing up the doggie treats. My boys eat before I do.
This is a great read. I have dreamed of being able to get away and write but with a full time job, the only time I am able to get away is on vacations and those are times when my wife, who also works full time, and I get to do and see things together so what little writing I do is in the hour or two before she gets up in the morning.
My main distraction writing is having to pull myself away from writing (I do most of my writing early in the morning and, when I have enough energy left, in the evening) to go to work or, in the evening, go to bed so I will be able to get up and do some writing before work.
Note to Rochelle Frank - instead of being a servant to your dog do like I do and put your dog to work writing with you - Chika has never typed a work but at least she looks productive sitting next to me with my netbook in front of her in my profile photo. LOL
A fantastic read! I personally have always wanted to have enough time to be able to write as much as I want every day, but with the amount of work that I get I have to push myself really hard to even get one a day completed!
I think what you said about watching a different kind of film, really is a great idea for authors, as it springs inspiration for new Hubs to be created. From just one movie you can create 3 Hubs, one would be an overall review of the film, another one could be about the actors in the film, and the last one could be if you recommend the film to anyone.
Now I do watch quite a lot of movies right now, so I suppose that I could begin to do some reviews on them! Thank you for this Hub!
Fantastic hub and ideas. Being a single Mom of two girls, it's hard to even breath sometimes let alone get away for a while though I'd love to. My relaxtion and writing mode is when I get them off to bed, a nice long bath or shower, and curled up on my couch with a blanket and my laptop. So I am one of those people that write late at night. You have some great suggestions. I often read magazines and sometimes even find ideas for my next hub in one.
Love your style!
Arlene, You've done it again. You wrote a hub that pulls me from beginning to end with your witty sense of humor, yet is full of great ideas!
Nice hub...voted up.
Gee whiz, Chuck! You must be doing something right. Look at all those followers and Hubs you've got. WowWowWee. You are truly an inspiration. Thank you for your comments. I am not one to work and write. My last job as a c/o consumed me. If I wasn't there at work or doing overtime, I was thinking of better ways to improve my work. I find that being retired is a good time for me to write because I can write for hours and hours. I've found that this writing time is my time. And because I am selfish with this writing time, I allow my household to fall apart. Well, not that I was always in the role of Mrs. Clean. But I do enjoy the writing more than anything else I've done. Maybe it's because I choose to write. It's not some job I take on because it pays the bills. During this time of my life, I wake up, have my coffee, and write away. I take photographs, but I'm behind with those to illustrate my Hubs. I am usually writing before I go to bed. There is no way I will have this Writer's Block thing because by having all this time (time>money), there's no reason why I shouldn't write. You are lucky to have your schedule work for you. Cute dog, by the way! My gruesome twosome would not be posing for the camera unless you gave them handful of treats. Maybe the whole bag or box.
drspaniel, thank you for your comments. I do find it hard to work and write at the same time because my mind leans more toward the work and paying the bills. I don't think of writing as work--now that I want to write. When I have an idea coming at me, I have to develop it into a Hub. My husband says I have this face twitch when I need to write, and this happens when I only have my writer's journal with me. I am picky about the movies I see, but I do get inspiration to write from what the characters are saying. I do the same when I'm watching television or listening to it for noise. Some actor or actress says a line which sticks in my head. Or they say something stupid, and that gives me a reason to write. As an old married lady, viewing movies with good-looking actors are enough for me. I don't want to think too hard. I'm not asking for much, am I?
b: Thank you for your comments. Most of my day is spent writing, but that's only because I am retired and need to watch my spending habits. Having a fixed income is not fun at all. Early retirement is okay only if you have something to take up your day and have the money to fuel your living expenses and your hobbies. Unfortunately, I got into being a housewife much later in life because I've avoided the role. When you're home, everyone knows where to find you. I can't hide and say, "I'm going to work, now. This will have to wait." You are smart to find time to write and make your schedule work for you. I never had the brains to hold down a day job and write. By the time I got home from work or went on vacations to forget about work, I had no energy or the desire to write. The process of writing can be tied in with guilt because you don't have enough time to write. At the same time, if you found a writing schedule which works for you, that's much better than curling up in a ball and complaining about Writer's Block.
Through My Lens, thank you for your comment! I never thought of myself having style. Or was that style and grace? Anywhooooo, I do love holing myself up in a hotel room to write because no one will leave me alone when I'm at home. My family and friends think that I write as some kind of hobby, so this is why they feel they can bug me. I should take advantage of the Tahoe scenery while I'm here, but since I've visited for years and years, I am content to spend my time writing.
k: Thank you! The thought of me doing The Plank naked is enough to get me racing for my laptop. Really and truly. My days of McDonald's super-sizing meals and Mountain Dew chugging has finally has caught up with me. And I am picky about movies. That doesn't leave much a selection for me.
Hi, Frannie Dee. Thank you for the vote up. While checking out your profile, I found your Hub on "Missoni at Tarket". I am no longer in the dark about this fashion line.
This is a fantastic hub. I shall be using all of your ideas. I am one to read in the tub. I use the bathroom to relax. I hadn't thought of a hotel. Knowing me, I will still suffer with writers block. lol
Lesleysherwood, can you believe this? I just came home from Tahoe, and I left the CORD to my laptop in the room! Or maybe, did it fall out of my computer/briefcase??? So now I am using the cord to my camera dock so I can barely get flat on my back on my sofa and write using my laptop. Thank you for your comments. One of the major reasons why I haven't bought something like a Nook is because I still like turning pages and piling stacks and stack of books in my home. My rooms in Tahoe are comped, but whether they are paid for or not, it would be a shame if I got there and could not write. I have been known to leave the room at three a.m. for some pumpkin pie and a huge glass of milk. Forget the blackjack tables. I have trouble counting to 21 that fast.
I'm a slot machine junkie (but NOT to the point of bankruptcy), so casino hotel rooms would never work for me. I do know, however, that if I'm ever going to write the dozen or so hubs bouncing around in my head, I'll need to do it offline and only come on long enough to upload them!
Pumpkin pie and a glass of milk at 3 a.m.? Yep, only in a casino hotel!
Hahahah! Love hearing from you, JamaGenee! My family are slot machine and Keno junkies. When I was a baby, some family members would give me a crayon and a Keno ticket to mark. I was still in my playpen, but my scrawl covered 1-9 and made them some money. I don't drink or gamble. I don't like the smoke in casinos, so I am at home in a non-smoking room on the 10th floor on up. I love Tahoe, but I'm no hiker or skier. I do love touring the lake on big paddle boats, walking the shops without buying anything and trying out restaurants. I watch people and pick out the ones who have never visited before. This time out, I remember getting into the elevator with a couple who were complaining about not being able to see the sunset from their restaurant. I wanted to say, "You have plenty of time. Just step outside and catch the sunset from outside like everyone else." The magazines. Don't forget the magazines!
I'm reading along, taking in all the information and smiling at your humor. I take a drink and read "Strike a yoga pose while naked." I almost spit all over my computer. I know I will get good info and a giggle when I read your hubs. Thanks!
Thank you, LA! Glad to get a laugh out of you, and even more glad that your computer keys (and beyond) didn't get wet. One of my friends was complaining about one of his neighbors because she would appear naked at one of her windows each day. Her window looked down on his computer room. So I asked, "Well, is she good-looking without her clothes on or does she look like ME???" He never complained about the naked neighbor since. I took a yoga class in college, and that was long before it became the "in" thing. To me, it was very boring because I come from the school where you have to "feel the burn" when you exercise. Otherwise, it's not worth it. Jane Fonda pushed that for years. At the same time, I hate doing yoga because your feet are exposed. Ewwwwww. Some people, including me, have gross-looking feet and should keep them in shoes! I did try a friend's Pilates machine. I though, "This is soooo easy." A few hours later, I was dying. Which is pretty bad because my friend does Pilates all the time and happens to be 74. I am so sad . . .
FloraBreenRobison 8 months ago
I live alone-well, I have a cat, but I'm talking about humans here and cats are generally quiet. Therefore, I don't have to go to a hotel room. However, this reminds of a story about my favourite mystery author. Agatha Christie not only never had writer's block, she could write under any circumstances or setting. Amazing. I quite often take a nap when I need to rest. Regarding the six suggestions-another thing I do in terms of getting things accomplished is to see deadlines for yourself and tell other people those deadlines. I write with pencil and paper a lot and have hub title URLs saved when I think of an idea. but the hub itself may not be typed until weeks later based on when I'm finished editing. I have been working on a hub on the fairy tale Cinderella, and I could go on editing it forever if I'm not careful. But I have been telling people here on Hubpages that I am going to publish it by the end of September, and this will give me the deadline to actually do it.